Being collared - knowing your place (1)

Here's what will be the first in a series of many regarding exactly what it means to have the ring of confidence*, that is the dogcollar, around your neck.

Those who visit cathedrals on a Maundy Thursday are often quite affected by what one of the called the 'last man standing' show that is the celebration of our calling. For those who have never been it goes like this:

Everyone stands - and because we all have that baptismal calling that marks us as Christ's and call us to live as strangers in this world rather than of it we pray for all the people of God. We celebrate the callings everyone present has and having prayer for laos (God's people) they sit.

Now we pray for those who are deacons (diakonos), those who are called to serve the Church to equip the people in it to make Christ better known and serve them in humility - this is the 'foot washing' role, the waiting at tables that frees the priests for higher things - and having given thanks for them, they sit.

Tine to pray for the priests (Presbyteros), those people who are called to 'lead God's people in the offering of praise and the proclamation of the Gospel'. The Shepherds of the flock who teach the word and minister the sacraments - and having given thanks for this bunch, they also sit.

Leaving the bishops, those called to be the guardians of the faith, to shepherd the shepherds and to lead the Church in mission and to be a cohesive and enabling force for the people under their care and to work in unity with the other bishops to bring about a consistent family.

Were there any Archbishops (we have two - Justin and John) then I guess the bishops would sit and we'd all celebrate the über pointyhats and the cohesive and unifying force that they are. They are the national voice of the church what we belong to and are the place for spiritual, practical and media directiveness (a word I found in an American article recently that need to be used once then burned).

So there we have it - a quick explanation of the structure of ministry within the Church of England.
Tomorrow (if time permits) we'll have a look at what it means to have been collared and what you can, can't, should and shouldn't do if you are.

So there you have it - last man standing is, could there be any doubt, Justin Welby. But now you have (I hope) a better understanding of the base roles and positions of the people around you.

And the best bit - regardless of who you are, if you're a believer then you are laos and that's ALL of us. The other jobs are just added

Can't get better than that - can you?


* Confidence because those who wear them are (supposed to be) called, tried, tested and approved and submissive to the word of God and the people placed in authority above them and have an integrity when it comes to teaching, believing and living according to Scripture. (note the 'supposed')

Vocations: Collared or Covert and Covered?

An interesting conversation arising from a vocations meeting centred around the issue of the wearing of clerical garb and focused upon the clerical collar in particular. The conversation came down to this question: collar or not?

Having friends who occupy just about every position in terms of churchmanship I know that some will never be seen wearing a dog collar whilst others appear naked without a cassock (all thirty-nine buttons done up) and a beretta (of the hat, not firearm, variety). Indeed, what we wear is often an indicator of the way in which we 'do' our theology but perhaps we don't wear it for ourselves but others.

One of the most important things about the dog collar is that it identifies us as being clerics. It's not just part of the uniform, it's a statement of intent; it's a proclamation of commitment and availability.

The wearing of a dog collar is not some fiendishly 'popish' statement, nor is it a fashion statement (although some try to make it such and far too often fail) or an imposition. The collar is something that is somewhat kergymatic (by which I mean 'proclamatory') and so brings an added dimension to the person wearing it - one that is bounded by ontology ('being'), proximity (the 'parakletos' that is 'coming alongside') and the servanthood that is 'diakonos'. It speaks of God's Kingdom made real and present in the here and now.

What I'm suggesting is that the wearing of a dog collar finds its parallels in a taxi cab with its 'For Hire' light blazing availability in a dim and hurried world of 'too busyness' combined with 'not bothered ness'. The collar screams, in a John Inmanesque manner, 'I'M FREE'!

It is kergymatic in that it is the herald of the Good News that is the Gospel of Christ made present in the reality in which we are found; proclaimed and made real in the fact that 'the Kingdom of God is made real and come into your presence!' Indeed the collar speaks of the basileia - the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus in so many places in the New Testament in the way that He did.

Being a priest is more than merely playing a part, it is not what we do but who we are - it is therefore an ontology reality - and this is proclaimed, or perhaps 'supported', by our 'ring of confidence'. Not an item of dress but a statement of fact.

Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as 'one who comes alongside' - using the word 'Paraclete' - and this is our role as, enabled and filled with that same Holy Spirit, we engage in our calling. Again, it is the collar that speaks of this as we serve them in our diaconal role.

To choose when we will, and will not, wear our collars is therefore to choose when we will, or will not, be the priests we are called to be. If wearing it says 'available' then what does not wearing it communicate? (postscript: for many, the only way they can identify pastors or priests as such is by the clothing and so to wear when we choose - this means on/off/on/etc and do nor refer to making the choice through theological position - is to choose when to be identified and therefore also available).

A Vicar I knew used to occasionally frequent a pub during the lunch- hour session and did so without his collar. Slowly he became known to the regulars and was incorporated into their conversations and friendship. Then one day one of the regulars knocked at the vicarage door, only to find it to be opened by the same man he drank with, wearing a dog collar and he wasn't best pleased. The reason for thus was that he'd said things and related events to someone he considered to be a friend, not a Vicar!

The relationship with those in the pub' was broken and it damaged the work of the church in that place too. Integrity and calling demand that we are WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) - and the collar sets the tone, expectation and reality.

The question is - do we?